Parttime Heros
by Cid Goldenfires
Summary: It's mostly a Ranma 12 continuation, but as I am an Ukyo fan I have directed Ranma to go to Ukyo, eventually will include crossover(s).


Rain in Nerima was very odd; or at least recently. It seemed to only come down from tiny little clouds most of the time covering only enough area to get a single person instantaneously soaked. It seemed unnaturally unlucky, like some sort of curse. Actually, it was only part of a curse.

Onna-Ranma was dripping wet and wringing the water out of her pigtail and shirt as best she could. Her magnetism for water seemed to be unavoidable. She continued walking along the fence just ahead of Akane.

"You know, maybe you should carry an umbrella with you, kinda like that one Ryoga has. Maybe then you wouldn't have to worry about the rain."

"Yeah, and then something ELSE would splash me, like a car going through a puddle, or that lady who always is cleaning her sidewalk when I come by or someone dumping a bucket of soapy water out of a window, anyway, it's not like you notice this sort of cursed rain until it actually hits you." Onna-Ranma fumed.

"Hey you jerk I was just trying to help!"

"Huh, what did I say?"  
"Baka!"

"Baka Tomboy!"

With a sniff the two turned away from each other and rushed off to school. Not like it was anything nice to get there. Tatewaki Kuno stood at the entrance and made a dramatic bow when they approached.

"What beauties these doth come before mine eyes! Pig-tailed girl, Akane Tendo, what is the honor of this glorious occasion that you should come before me! Have you finally escaped the bonds of the foul sorcerer Saotome and come to marry your true love Taktewaki Kuno, humble and wise shooting star of Furikan High, Blue Thunder of the Furikan Kendo team!"

Tatewaki struck a pose and oddly enough lightning stuck in the sky as he did so, adding a level of drama to the show and pomp he had displayed. Neither of the girls were impressed.

"Were here because it's school baka, and when are you gonna get it though you thick skull that neither Akane or I like you."

"Oh, pig-tailed girl, my goddess in red, do not despair I shall defeat the foul Saotome so that you may freely admit your love to me!"

Ranma rolled her eyes grabbed Akane and flipped over the biggest idiot of Furikan. Akane didn't like getting carried.

"Put me down you pervert, your a girl right now, what do you think your doing!"

Ranma put Akane down. "Hey, it was the best way to get past that baka, you should be thanking me!"

"I could have dealt with it myself! Stop carrying me around like that, ESPECIALLY in your girl form, it's just wrong you pervert!"

"Stop calling me a pervert you stupid tomboy!"

Wham! Ranma was expertly aimed; Akane shot her part time fiancé right into the classroom though the window. She had recently figured out that it would cause less problems if Ranma actually got to class on time. She also had been trying to be nicer to the jerk since he had saved her from Saffaron. Yeah, he, her, Ranma.

Ranma Saotome, born a guy, but thanks to a magical cursed spring, turned into a girl when splashed with cold water and back into a boy when splashed with hot water. Ranma immediately removed a thermos she had packed when she landed and poured some of the hot water on herself before sealing the thermos again hoping it would stay warm the rest of the day. Now a he again, Ranma Saotome went to his seat and got to doing what he spend most of his time at school doing, sleeping. It wasn't that Ranma was really tired, he just didn't like school, and he found it hard to understand and boring. Luckily this wasn't Hinako sensei's class so he just slacked off.

Well, at least he THOUGHT it wasn't Hinako-sensei's class.

"Ranma Saotome! Are you sleeping through he class I am substituting for! Are you being a delinquent again!"

Ranma snored. Hinako-sensei hit him with an eraser.

"Huh? Hi- Hinako-sensei!"

"You were sleeping in class detention after school!"

"Huh? What period is it?"

"First, I am subbing for math today, you all better pay attention!"

Nerveous looks went around the classroom, Hinako-sensei wasn't one to be messed with, she could knock you out with her Happo-Five-Yen-Attack, some kind of ki draining technique that was the bane of Ranma's school existence, and the only reason he stayed awake during English class.

"Yay, MATH!"

Screamed the teacher who seemed more like a toddler who just had a whole ice cream Sunday than an adult, but that was due to the way her metabolism was changed by the pressure points a certain perverted martial arts master had used on her to give her the ability to use the Happo-Five-Yen-Attack. The class went rather smoothly despite several students getting extra homework, Ranma included, for not being able to answer questions when asked. When lunch finally rolled around though, Ranma's day got worse, again.

"Nihao Airen! Shampoo come with food for Airen! Airen eat and marry Shampoo yes?" Screamed a bicycle riding Amazon.

"Ranchan, I brought you some okonomiyaki for lunch! I hope you like it!"

"Airen no eat spatula girl's weird flat food! Ranma eat Shampoo's ramen!"

"Did you just call my okonomiyaki weird! Why don't we let Ranchan decide!"

Ranma looked around nervously, "Uhh..." just then Kuno decided to show up.

"Foul sorcerer Saotome, you fiend, despite having control over the Amazon and chef Ukyo you continue to hold captive the fair Akane Tendo and pigtailed goddess! I shall defeat you today and win their hearts!"

Ranma dodged the bokken as it screamed towards his position and kicked Kuno away, sadly, he kicked kuno right into a drinking fountain which broke, spraying Ranma with water. Onna-Ranma fumed.

"Pig-tailed goddess, you are freed from the clutches of the foul Saotome now that I have defeated him, let us be off so that we might sanctify our love in throws of passion!"

"You didn't defeat me you big oaf, get out of here!"  
"Ahh, pig-tailed goddess, I see that I must prove my love to you by defeating you, I do not wish to hurt you but very well, it is for true love that I battle on this day!"

Onna-Ranma was pissed, she had had enough of Kuno for the day, before he could ready his stance she punched him into the stratosphere.

"Nice hit Ranchan! Would you like to have some Okonomiyaki now?"

"Airen like ramen from Nekohaten, spatula girl leave Shampoo and Airen alone!"

Shampoo glomped Ranma vigourously, making Ranma very nervous as she tried to peel the affectionate Amazon off her. But it was too late. Akane had seen.

"Shampoo, what do you think you are doing, your both girls!"  
"Airen no girl all time, what violoent pervert girl care?"

"Ranma, what do you think your doing letting her hang on you like that, you pervert!"

"Hey I'm not letting her she-"

Ranma was hit by Akane's mallet high and developed a large bump on his head as he finally pried Shampoo off.

"So whose food you eat? Shampoo have kettle, you eat Shampoo's food and marry Shampoo and she give you kettle!"

Ranma pulled out her thermos and dumped the warm water on her head, turning back into a boy.

"I dunno, I guess I will have to try a bit of everything."

Akane was furious, "Ranma, stop leading them on! You have your own lunch Kasumi packed anyway! Why do you need their food?"

"Hey, I eat what I can, besides someone's feelings 'll get hurt if I chose one!"

"WHAT ABOUT MY FEELINGS YOU JERK!"

Ranma was maleted through he air into the swimming pool while he quickly scarfed down the food on the fly. She was pretty angry Akane hadn't thought to aim him better again, as she had no more hot water. Surprisingly the food had all been eaten during the flight. Ranma threw away her trash and put the thermos back in her pack. She went off to find hot water.

Akane was so stupid, it's not like Ranma wanted Ukyo and Shampoo competing over him. Why couldn't she understand that, the stupid tomboy never understood. But Ranma had fallen in love with the tomboy over the years. Ranma tried to be nicer, but had a distinct habit to put his/her foot in his/her mouth, especially when talking to Akane. Unable to find water Ranma stormed off to "her" next class, gym, and the BOYS locker room, a place of hell for Ranma. Not that the girls side was any better, Ranma wasn't allowed there, going there meant beatings, the boys side on the other hand meant perverted stares and attempts to switch the shower water to cold so that the idiots there could see nude female Ranma. It didn't seem to matter much that Ranma was actually a guy, her girl form was still VERY good to look at.

Using Umi-Sen-Ken to avoid detection Ranma entered the showers and turned on the hot water to change, lowering Umi-Sen-Ken when the change occurred and he was back to his normal self. At least for a few seconds.

One of the guys today had been clever, this time, rather than trying to reach around Ranma and switch the water he simply adjusted a few pipes and viola, instant Onna-Ranma!

"Who did that!"

All the idiots were drooling too much to respond, Ranma grabbed the wrench from the one who had it and clunked the idiot over the head, Ranma then fixed the pipes and turned back, starring daggers at the remaining idiots. They were too busy having nosebleeds to notice. Even Ranma's 'friends' Hiroshi and Daisuke hadn't been able to avoid staring at Ranma's girl form. Daisuke commented, "You know they are never gonna stop don't you? Why do you still get angry?"  
"Wouldn't YOU get angry if it were YOU who turned into a girl with cold water!"  
"I dunno, I guess I would. Still, they aren't gonna stop."  
"Damn this curse! I wish I could just be normal for once!"

Hiroshi shook his head, "Ranma, you still got it better than the rest of us, I mean, you've got Akane, and half of all the other pretty girls in the school!"

"I don't GOT anyone, I've told you again and again, my stupid pop arranged all those marriages, anyway, ever since the failed wedding Akane has been back to her old self, I don't think she likes me."  
"Does that mean she's free?"  
"I didn't say she's free, I said I don't think she likes me, it's her own business whether or not she wants to date anybody, and as far as I can tell, there isn't a soul in this school she likes in a way that she would be willing to go out with them!"

"Are you so sure, she always gets so angry when the other girls go after you."

"That's what I don't get, either she likes me or she doesn't, but somehow she seems to not like me and still get jealous."

"Don't think about it too much, come on we got to get to class."

Despite Hiroshi's words Ranma WAS thinking about it. It was weird one minute Akane would be being tolerable and seemed to like her and get jealous of the other fiancés and the next she would hate him and treat him like dirt, it didn't make any sense. Or at least it made no sense to him.

It was afternoon now and Akane, Nabiki and Ranma had just returned home to the Tendo dojo. Akane was in her room crying, she couldn't understand her own feelings about that jerk. One minute Ranma seemed kind and protective over her and the next Ranma was a jerk who constantly embarrassed her and made her angry with everything Ranma did. Why didn't Ranma just behave the way she loved, the Ranma that had tried to marry her, the Ranma she had known to have killed a demigod for her. But she couldn't stand Ranma sometimes, sometimes she wished Ranma wasn't her fiancé so that they could just be friends instead of bickering all the time. What made Ranma change like that. Was it her, Akane, to blame? NO, it had to be that idiot, Ranma was always to blame. No, she shouldn't think like that anymore, she had promised herself she wouldn't pin all her problems on Ranma anymore, it was stupid t do so, even if they were Ranma's fault.

But why, what made him so sweet and kind to Akane and made her such a jerk the next who Akane couldn't stand being engaged to...

Wait, what had Akane just thought, she had just thought of boy Ranma as the one she loved and girl Ranma as the one she couldn't stand being engaged to, who always found a way to embarrass her or piss her off. Sure boy form Ranma was the same person, but this was the first time Akane had thought of the whole thing this way. Ranma had begun to accept his curse, was it that Akane couldn't accept Ranma's curse? No, she didn't mind the idea of him/her changing anymore, it seemed normal, but then what was hit.

It struck Akane as if she was hit by her own mallet. It should have been so obvious, when Ranma was in girl form Akane accepted Ranma AS a girl. And Akane wasn't the type of girl to like a girl that way. She cursed herself. How had she not thought of this so much longer ago, it could have saved her so much pain. But what could she do? Akane loved 'him', and yet she didn't love 'her' despite them being the same person. Akane had accepted they were the same person. Akane's heart ached. She needed someone to talk to, someone who wasn't Ranma, she didn't want to talk to Ranma right now, and especially not about this, she COULDN'T talk to Ranma about this, it would just hurt both of them too much. She dried her tears and went downstairs when she heard Kasumi welcoming Aunty-Nodoka in.

Saotome Nodoka, Ranma's mother, who had signed long ago a contract with Genma and a toddler Ranma who didn't understand a seppuku contract that said if Ranma didn't become a "man amongst men" by the time Genma and Ranma returned from a training trip the two would commit seppuku. Of course the curse Ranma recived complicated this and Ranma had had to hide in his girl form from his mother, pretending to be 'Ranko Tendo' Akane's cousin. She missed her son greatly and it pained everyone to not be able to let her know Ranma was right there with her as Ranko for fear of her killing Ranma and Genma for honor's sake, although the stupid panda probably deserved it, Ranma didn't. Surprisingly, Nodoka had accepted Ranma's curse when she finally did find out, she explained that even in his girl form of 'Ranko', Ranma had remained a 'man amongst men' in behavior and fighting ability, and that the outward form wasn't important.

Nodoka had her son back, and now she had a part time daughter too. That was all she cared about, although she bore a grudge against her husband for Ranma's curse anyway, it WAS the panda's fault and it had caused Ranma allot of pain.

Aunty-Saotome was the smartest person Akane knew she could talk to, besides Nabiki. And Nabiki's counseling services weren't worth the price, neither was Nabiki's 'help'. The mercenary Tendo daughter, middle in the family, was also known as the 'Ice Queen' of Furikan, and was known for selling ecchi photographs of her younger sister and Ranma's girl form to Tatewaki Kuno and pictures of both Ranma's forms to a majority of the student populace. Akane resolved to try to get help from aunty-Nodoka, after all, Nodoka was Ranma's mother, and Akane's problem involved Ranma. Luckily for Akane, this time she didn't even have to ask. Nodoka had just spotted Akane and the puffiness around the girl's eyes.

"Akane, is something wrong dear, would you like to talk about it?"

"Actually, that would be really helpful Aunty. Could we talk in private in my room?"

"Sure dear, you tell me what is wrong and I will do my best to fix it all up."

"I really hope you can and will..." Akane didn't know how Nodoka would react to what Akane was about to tell her and she hoped that Nodoka would understand, but part of her doubted that. However, she didn't feel there was anyone else who she could talk to, and she somehow knew that she HAD to talk about this and get it off her chest.

The two entered Akane's room and shut the door, Akane also shut the window in case Ranma was on the roof and overheard, she was surprised to find her pet pig P-chan on the windowsill very wet.

"P-chan! I haven't seen you for weeks! Aunty, is it okay if I hold my pet pig while we talk, I just feel so nervous, P-chan always listens, right P-chan."

Ryoga nodded, he could see something was upsetting Akane, he wished he hadn't been turned into the pig again, stupid rain, how had he ended up on Akane's windowsill anyway? A pig nodding rather intelligently was an odd sight but Akane was oblivious that her P-chan was actually Ryoga, and Ryoga was too embarrassed to tell her, it was all Ranma's fault anyway that he turned into a pig! If it had been Ranma that upset her this time he would die! Curse you Ranma Saotome, prepare to die! thought P-chan.

Nodoka simply nodded, if Akane needed extra comfort from her pet in order to tell her this then Akane could hold on to her little pet all she wanted. Whatever it was, Akane, her potential daughter in law, was very worked up.

"Go ahead dear, tell me what's wrong."

"I hate to say it but it has to do with Ranma."

P-chan fumed and vowed vengeance yet again against Ranma for upsetting Akane. Nodoka wasn't happy either, but waited to hear Akane out and figure out what the problem was.

"What about my son, did you two have another fight, you always can just make up, I am sure you two can grown out of this fighting."

"Well, there was another fight... but... this isn't about that..."

P-chan raged and was confused at the same time, there was a fight, for that Ranma would die, but what was making Akane upset? It was Ranma's fault though so Ranma would die!

"What is it, please tell your Aunty Nodoka, I can't promise I will necessarily take your side in whatever this is, but I would like to know what is upsetting you."

"Well... you remember when you first came here, you met 'Ranko Tendo' my 'cousin' and 'friend' right Aunty."

"Of course, what does that have to do with you being upset though, I am not going to kill my son, I already told you Ranma is manly enough in both his forms to satisfy honor."

"Aunty, I... I realized today, that Ranko Tendo is someone who I want as a friend and am disgusted with the idea of marrying... but Ranma Saotome is a man I love and would be willing to marry for the honor of the Tendo Clan."

"But Akane, they are the same person, I would think you of all people would know that."

"I do, but, I'm not... you know, that way... I HAVE accepted Ranma's curse, but I think I have accepted it so much that I think of Ranma as a girl when in girl form, and... I am just not the kind of girl who can LOVE another girl."

Akane looked down, her face pained, as she waited for a reprieve from Nodoka. But it never came, Nodoka looked into Akane's eyes and saw that was how Akane truly felt. Akane couldn't bring herself to love ALL of Ranma. Nodoka herself thought of girl form Ranma as a daughter and boy form as her true son, she also accepted the curse, but the changes of the curse were in some way total, they didn't affect Ranma's outlook, she/he always thought like a boy, or at least like Ranma Saotome, but Ranma's girl form was definitely a girl in physical form totally, but also in how other people perceived her, so total was the seeming transformation. Anyone seeing the girl form who didn't know Ranma was unlikely to think of Onna-Ranma as anything more than a tomboyish girl unless they saw Ranma transform, there would be nothing that would convince them otherwise, actually there were from what she heard some who didn't believe it even after seeing the transformation several times.

"I, can accept you feeling that way Akane, I won't try to force you to marry Ranma, unless maybe he gets cured. But what about your sisters, might one of them like both Ranma's forms?"  
"I REALLY don't think so, Aunty! How can you ask that?"

"Well, the honor must be preserved, I know there is a way!"

"Ppht! Don't tell me you know so little about Ranma's other engagements?"

"I know that my stupid husband trickily and dishonorably 'engaged' Ranma to several other girls in to get things out of their parents. But only the Tendo agreement matters, it was the only one that was officially processed, and it it the only one that Genma truly meant for Ranma."  
"Tell me Aunty, did it involve any dowery?"

"No, that would wait till the wedding, aren't the couple supposed to spend the dowry?"

"Well, Ranma's engagement to Ukyo already had the dowry exchanged, expecting Genma to take Ukyo along with them on the training trip, he abandoned Ukyo and SPENT the dowry to fill his own fat belly!"

"NO!"

"Yes, it was an okonomiyaki cart and the livelihood of the Kounji's! Genma abandoned Ukyo and took off with the cart, Ranma unknowing of the situation and later sold it for food!"  
"He wouldn... he did didn't he..."

"Yes."

Nodoka fumed; suddenly she discovered Ranma would be dishonored no matter what he did thanks to her stupid husband. She wondered exactly how binding any of the other engagements were.

"Thank you for telling me this, I am going to have to think about this, I do not like the idea of my son guaranteed being dishonored, and somehow I doubt, despite it being Genma's fault that that in any way remedy's Ranma's situation. I will tell you and maybe ask for your help if I can think of something."

"Thank you Aunty!"

Akane burst into tears and hugged Nodoka tightly, hesitant at first, Nodoka returned the hug, she wouldn't force this poor girl to marry her daughter for sake of honor, it was just as dishonorable. She had to find another solution. She also had to find an honorable way of ridding the Kounji claim, maybe Ukyo didn't like girls either? That would certainly fix everything there, but there still remained the problem of whether one of the Tendo daughters could still marry her son/daughter.

"Kasumi?" Nodoka asked.

"Yes Aunty-Nodoka?" Kasumi smiled her Kasumi smile.

"I just spoke with Akane as you know, she has realized, and I understand, that she... can't love both forms of my son in... the appropriate manner for marriage, she loves my son, but can't marry my daughter, I don't want Ranma to know about this yet I want to find out more first. Is there any way you or Nabiki could... love, both my son and my daughter?

Kasumi sighed, "Oh my!" She had known for a long time that something like this would come up, but she wasn't the type to meddle, wishing for people to figure things out for themselves. "I can't speak for Nabiki, but no, I myself could not love your daughter that way, or your son either in fact, I think of him as a little brother, I think of Ranma as a younger sibling, and I am, not that way about girls. I have been waiting myself for Dr. Tofu to finally get up the courage to ask me on a date, either that or I hope that once I enter college I will meet the man who is right for me, but no, I am not the one to ask. You may try Nabiki but I don't think you will find any progress there either, plus, Ranma doesn't like my sister, and for good reasons, I can forgive her for what she does, but it is Ranma who is her primary victim."  
"Thank you Kasumi for answering me truthfully, I must go find Nabiki, I can only hope that there is a chance in her and that maybe I can turn her around, she may be the last hope for true honor."

"I wish I could say that I could love Ranma that way, I am sorry Nodoka, but I can't be the one."

"It's not your fault, I will go find Nabiki."

Nabiki was sunning herself in the backyard when Nodoka came. Nabiki could tell something was up by the troubled expression on Nodoka's face, it irritated her that she had a feeling she couldn't profit off whatever it was.

"What is it Aunty-Nodoka?"

"Nabiki, I think you may be my last hope, I will make this blunt. Are you capable of loving Ranma, in both Ranma's forms?"  
"Rehh!" squeaked Nabiki, "What are you going on about?"

"I, was privy to a very upset Akane's feelings this afternoon, she told me she realized that she couldn't love Ranma in that way in his girl form as she truly thinks of Ranma in her or his, whatever, girl form as a girl. I can't rightly allow her to marry my daughter/son, if she didn't love both Ranma's forms, it would be wrong, I asked Kasumi as well, she also can't love Ranma's girl form, and finds both forms to be too much of a sibling to love the male form in the way Akane does. You are the only Tendo daughter left!"

"I... have an idea, and no I don't like Ranma enough to marry him, he's not my type, and I don't like girls either. I do have a way around the marriage though 400 yen please."

Nodoka, cringed for a moment, this racketeering was absurd and she was upset, how could her son's honor be restored? Something told her that Nabiki really had a good idea but couldn't feel right about it without charging for the information. She handed over the yen.

"I will tell you this now, this bit it is fine for others to know, but be careful about who finds out and when, but I think there is a way to retain honor in totality, without a Tendo-Saotome marriage."

"HOW?" cried Nodoka.

"Well, first about the marriage of him to a fiancé, I know Ukyo DOES love both forms, and so does Shampoo, but I don't think Ranma wants to marry Shampoo. Kodachi, doesn't like girls and has no claim on Ranma and doesn't even believe that the boy and girl forms are the same person. And nobody else has a standing 'claim' besides Tatewaki (and his love for the 'pig-tailed girl') who is out of the question as he is a guy and Ranma doesn't like guys that way. Ranma could marry Ukyo and there would be nothing stopping him honor wise besides a necessary joining of the schools."  
"Oh..." Nodoka blushed at the thought that Ukyo loved both her son's forms, despite her current seeking of such a person, it was a little, disturbing to Nodoka just the same to think of the chef that way. "But Ranma still needs to marry a Tendo daughter to join the schools."

"Not necessarily, the only honor pact really was that the children of Saotome and Tendo would be joined to join the schools, but that doesn't mean the children have to be married to join."

"What are you talking about you are making no sense?"

"Tell me, mother of Ranma Saotome, don't you think that Ranko 'TENDO' has been in all but official manner, been adopted into the Tendo clan?" Nabiki grinned one of the most agreeable grins she had ever grinned, it wasn't frightening and didn't involve forcing money out of people or using people to get money.

Nodoka was stunned for a moment as she processed this new idea. She hugged Nabiki, "Thank you! You are a genius!" Nodoka cried.

Nabiki's grin was infectious as it spread to Nodoka's relived face. And it was a nice grin too, not a evil ice queen grin.

Ukyo sighed dreamily, she had been thinking about Ranma; dreaming about them getting married and her feeding him Okonomiyaki after he teaches young martial artists in a dojo. If only Ranma would realize that they were meant for each other. If only Akane and Shampoo would give Ranma up. A tear flowed down Ukyo's cheek which she quickly wiped away so that Konatsu wouldn't see and get worried. Ukyo feared that Ranma would end up marrying Akane, what she would do if that happened. Would she be honor bound to kill him? No, she couldn't, he had been her friend for far too long, it wasn't worth it. Sighing, Ukyo turned up the griddle and prepared the ingredients for opening the shop.

Konatsu, the male kunoichi (LONG story), was getting extra ingredients from the store. He walked back to the shop and was surprised to see Nodoka waiting outside before it had opened.

"Nodoka-sama, what brings you to Ucchans's this morning, we aren't even open yet?"

"I can wait, I think I need to speak with Ukyo about something."  
"It shouldn't be long, why don't you come in while we finish setting up."

Konatsu let Nodoka in and returned behind the counter placing the ingredients in their correct storage areas for easy access and returning the shopping bags the back room. He told Ukyo that they had an early guest and motioned towards Nodoka.

"Hello sugar, what brings you to Ucchan's you want to bring Ranma some Okonomiyaki?"

"Kounji-san, please tell me of your engagement to Ranma, I recently heard something about it from Akane, I didn't know how binding it actually was."

"Huh, why would Akane tell you about it? Well, whatever, let me see... When I was little Ranma's training trip brought him to where my father was currently running his okonomiyaki selling business, our livelihood was a small okonomiyaki cart. Ranma and I soon became good friends and we would play together, every day he would come and we would have a battle and he would win and my father would give him a free okonomiyaki for winning. Then we would play until Ranma's dad took him to train. I wasn't there when it was decided but Genma and my father made an agreement that Ranma and I were to be married and that Genma would take me along on Ranma's training journey, the dowry was my family okonomiyaki cart, from what we found out the next day Genma asked Ranma what he liked better, Ukyo or okonomiyaki, Ranma said okonomiyaki, he had no idea what was going on, anyway, the next morning Genma with Ranma riding atop the cart ran off pushing the cart and left me behind..."

Ukyo was crying, it hurt to remember what Genma had done, how he had tried to excuse it by tricking Ranma. Ranma hadn't even known Ukyo was a girl back then. Nodoka waited for a little while for Ukyo to continue but then decided to speak up.

"I give you my approval to marry my son, if you will love him both as Ranma and as... 'Ranko Tendo'."

"Of course I would! I don't care about the curse at all, I think it's kinda fun! I can't belive you are saying this, what about that 'joining of the schools' thing? What about Akane, doesn't she love Ranma?"

Nodoka smiled, a slightly haunted by confident smile, "Akane told me she loves Ranma but can't love him in 'that way' when he is in girl form, and she really just realized this herself, she thinks that is why they fight so much, because she can't stand being engaged to Ranma in his girl form. I tried to see if Nabiki or Kasumi would be able to love, both Ranma's forms, but they can't, however, Nabiki gave us another way to join the schools. Let me repeat myself, 'if you would love him both as Ranma and as... 'Ranko TENDO'!

Ukyo blinked and thought, Ranko Tendo had been the false persona Ranma had pretended to be in front of his mother for the longest time to avoid the seppuku contract. Why had Nodoka emphasized the Tendo name? "I don't think I get it sugar, why did you emphasize 'Tendo'?"

"A child of the Tendo school of anything goes must be 'joined' with a child of the Saotome school of anything goes, who is essentially the adoptive family of 'Ranko Tendo'? If we can get 'Ranko' to be adopted by the Tendos and taught the Tendo school of Anything Goes, then the schools will be officially joined, since Ranma and Ranko are the same person!"

Ukyo slowly realized what this meant, "Kyaa! Ranma's not gonna marry Akane, he can marry me!" Ukyo's face flushed as she jumped for joy. "Konatsu, open up the shop! Nodoka, let me make some take out Okonomiyaki for you and the Tendos! All of em!"

Fifteen minutes later Nodoka left carrying several bags of okonomiyaki take out back to the Tendo dojo, on the way she spotted her son headed to Ucchan's. Realizing Ranma didn't know and that Ukyo didn't know Ranma didn't know she decided to stop him. "Ranma, I have your okonomiyaki right here, we are eating back at the Tendo's!"  
"Huh, mom?"

"Come on, Ukyo already made your combination, help me carry these back home."

"Er, okay..."

Ranma helped his mother carry the take out home and wondered why his mother had been to Ucchan's this morning, and why she had ordered so much okonomiyaki. When they got back to the dojo Kasumi was already making breakfast Nodoka frowned. "Kasumi-chan, don't worry about making much breakfast, Ukyo sent us some okonomiyaki for breakfast, there is some for everybody!"  
"Oh, let me clean up then, I will just put this in the fridge and we can have it for lunch."

Soon everyone was at the table, confused at what was going on. Soun was the first one to speak up.

"What's going on, I thought Ukyo had a grudge against us since the attempted marriage? This could be poison!"

Akane looked at Nodoka and Nodoka nodded, "Uh, dad, I think Nodoka just had a talk with Ukyo, lets eat for now and well talk about more of this later."  
"What is going on, everyone seems to no except me pops and Soun?" blurted Ranma, he could already tell who was 'in' by the expressions around the table. Akane wouldn't even meet his gaze, what was up? Ranma didn't like it, but then again, food came first.

"Lets count our blessings now son and figure this out later! Maybe they finally convinced Ukyo to give up and this is an apology for the ruined wedding!" Genma nodded as if he had gone and convinced Ukyo to do so himself.

"I said we will talk about it later, for now lets eat." Nodoka spoke firmly, which worried Genma to no end, something told him he was in trouble, and that he better eat while he had the chance.

It was one of the calmer, if tenser, meals at the Tendo house, Ranma was happy for the good food and that nobody seemed to be angry at him anymore, even though Akane wouldn't meet his gaze. What was up with Akane?

Once the meal was finished Ranma decided to find out. "Hey, 'kane you don't seem angry anymore, why won'ch 'ya look me in the eye? This have somethin' to do with breakfast? I bet Ukyo's just trying to be nice and apologize like pops said!"

At this Akane started crying, "Ranma you jerk, I am sorry, I should be the one apologizing!" at this point she couldn't even speak anymore as she broke out into deeper sobbs.

"What have you done boy! You have gone and upset my daughter go make up right now!" screamed Soun.

"Huh, what did I do? Akane, whatever I did or said I didn't mean it!"

Akane's tears increased and she sobbed harder at this. Ranma didn't know what was up, but he was trying to apologize, "Hey you stupid tomboy I am apologizing to you! Can't you hear what I said!" Akane sobbed a few more times and then started to calm down, Ranma was surprised she hadn't hit him for calling her a stupid tomboy, Nodoka and the rest of the girls looked pretty worried, Nodoka put her hand on Akane's back and encouraged her to speak.

"I... I... I can't marry you Ranma, I tried, I really tried, I love you so much, but... I don't want to be married to you when... you are... in your girl form..." tears streamed down Akane's cheeks and she fell apart again. Ranma was stunned, he wasn't sure what to think, or what this meant, and what it had to do with breakfast, had Nodoka decided that the schools wouldn't be joined so that Ranma could marry Ukyo? Apparently the same line of thought had gone through Soun's mind.

"So Akane can't marry Ranma, is it Nabiki or Kasumi now? The schools must be joined, I don't know what you said to the Kounji girl but the schools still have to be joined!"

Nodoka spoke up now, "The schools will be joined, but not by some unwanted marriage! Nabiki has come up with a way to join the schools anyways! Ranma can marry Ukyo."

"HUH?" Akane, Genma, Soun, and Ranma all replied.

"Soun, will you adopt into your family a 'cousin' you have been raising for some time. Will you adopt 'Ranko Tendo'?"

Silence rained for some time as gears in several heads began to churn. Akane brightened up suddenly, the first one to get it. "Nabiki, your a genius! Why didn't we think of this before?"

"It wasn't really an issue before, we thought you wanted to marry Ranma, not openly of course, but I sure thought you did." Nabiki replied.

Genma was still confused, "I don't get it if Soun adopts Ranma, what happens to us, his parents, and what happens to the Saotome school?"  
"Baka panda!" Akane shook her head, "Only 'RanKO' will be adopted as my SISTER, Ranma Saotome we just have to treat Ranma's girl form as a different person in the adoption!"

Soun still wasn't satisfied, "B-but if Ranma's not going to marry any of you, who is going to marry my daughters!" he blubbered.

"There is plenty of time for us to figure that out by ourselves father!" spoke up Kasumi.

"Okay." spoke Soun in a small voice.

Ranma finally got it, "Wait, Akane, you... don't like me? But we don't have to marry?"

"Ranma, I love you, and yet I don't, I just don't go that way with girls, and when you change, it is just too much for me, I realize that now, I am sorry I couldn't tell you earlier. We can still be friends right."

Ranma felt like crying, he was hurt, but guys don't cry so he bit it down, "O-okay, frie-freinds..."

"Thank you Ranma!" Akane hugged him and started sobbing again.

"Hey don't cry! You don't have to cry!"

"I am so sorry Ranma!"

Ranma let Akane cry on him for a while and he realized what was going on. Akane DID like him, but couldn't like him THAT way all the time cause of his girl form, that was why she had always gotten angry about their engagement. Now apparently he didn't have to marry one of the Tendo sisters and he was supposed to marry Ukyo, his mother had just told Ukyo and she had sent everyone okonomiyaki. It hurt that Akane couldn't like him, he loved Akane, more than he wanted to admit, but it was over, and so suddenly. They had almost gotten married. He had really thought she liked him, but now it seemed she had just been fooling herself, she liked HIM that way, but not when he was a her. It was confusing, but it did make sense. He gave Akane a hug to reassure her, or maybe it was himself.

Ranma's mind drifted over to Ukyo. Did he love Ucchan? He wasn't sure, he was sure they were friends, but was it more than that, he knew for Ukyo it could be, but he wasn't so sure. I guess I have time to figure that out now, he thought. Then again, there was still the problem of Shampoo, Ranma was pretty sure he didn't want to marry Shampoo, but he didn't want to ruin her life either. Ranma sighed and Akane finally got up and went to her room. P-chan was still there, he hadn't wanted to move about much for fear of not finding his way back, he had heard everything.

Ryoga suddenly couldn't blame this on Ranma, it didn't make sense, everything was supposed to be Ranma's fault. It always was, suddenly a bunch of Ranma's problems had evaporated, and stupidly enough, it was thanks to his curse. Plus, Akane was no longer engaged to Ranma, not that Ryoga was about to do a thing about it. He WANTED to, but he was engaged to Akari now, and he did love Akari, not as much as he loved Akane, but he couldn't tell Akane about his curse, she would hate him because he had masqueraded as P-chan, it was all Ranma's fault he was P-chan anyway, if Ranma hadn't knocked him into that spring or hadn't missed their match then Ryoga would still be Ryoga all the time and there would be no P-chan. Ranma Saotome prepare to die! P-chan squealed and glared at Ranma. Ranma glared back, Akane picked her pet pig up and closed her door. She was crying again, P-chan pushed up against her and tried to calm her down, he hated to see Akane unhappy.

"You understand don't you P-chan. At least now maybe we can get along, maybe I can even become friends with Ukyo. Ya know, I remember that I thought if Ranma was going to marry me we had to get someone for Ukyo and we tried to set Ukyo up on a date with Ryoga, they seemed to get along well, but they didn't fall in love at all, the only thing they thought about was Ranma, Ryoga wanted revenge and Ukyo wanted, well, to marry Ranma. If Ranma hadn't had a curse do you think Ryoga would have married Ukyo and I would have married Ranma?"

This stunned Ryoga, they had tried to get him and Ukyo on a date? He seemed to remember hanging out with Ukyo one day and that it had been some sort of setup by Ranma and Akane. Ryoga didn't know what to think, but he didn't care for Ukyo that way. Could he have? It didn't matter; he was engaged to Akari now. P-chan shook its head and looked perplexed.

"Oh, yeah, Ryoga is engaged to Akari now, I wonder what I should get them for their wedding, I know Akari likes pigs. But I don't know if I could give you up, besides, Ryoga doesn't seem to like pigs too much."

P-chan big sweated.

Back downstairs a spying duck began to panic; it flapped around and tried to get attention.

"Hey, it's Mousse, wonder what he is doing here? Anybody got some hot water, he seems to want some, I'll go get him some clothes." Ranma walked off and came back with some clothes, one of his Chinese tangs and pairs of black pants and tossed it to the duck while Kasumi got some hot water, a minute later Mousse was no longer a duck but a boy and was looking very distressed. He grabbed Kasumi.

"Ranma you have to do something, if Shampoo finds out that you are no longer engaged to Akane..." Kasumi disengaged from Mousse's grasp.

"Mousse, I'm over here, that's Kasumi." Mousse adjusted his glasses and apologized to Kasumi.

"Ranma, if you try to marry Shampoo I will have to kill you."

"As if, you couldn't kill me if you wanted to, anyways, I don't want to marry Shampoo, it's her who is after me remember?"

"Yes, but you must not accept, you have to help me convince Shampoo to love me!"

Ranma rolled his eyes, the myopic Amazon was utterly devoted to Shampoo, and she didn't care for him a bit. Shampoo had been chasing Ranma trying to kill him ever since he defeated her back in her village while Ranma was in girl form, then when Shampoo met Ranma's boy form he accidentally 'defeated' her and she immediately tried to marry him. Since then the 'kiss of death' had been annulled due to Ranma being a boy and Shampoo had been chasing after him trying to get him to marry her. Mousse wasn't happy about this as he wanted to marry Shampoo but because of how Amazon law worked, neither he nor Ranma had any say as to whether Shampoo could be marrying Ranma, at least according to Amazon law, Ranma had to either marry Shampoo or be punished for being a disobedient male. Ranma didn't want to marry Shampoo but he had no way to get her to leave him alone especially thanks to Cologne her great-grandmother, who was one of the only people who could match up to Ranma in a fight.

"What am I supposed to do? I don't see how I can help."

Mousse thought for a minute.

"If I can defeat Shampoo maybe she will love me, you are the only one besides Cologne or Happosai who can probably defeat her, you must help me!"

"You want me to train you or something?"

"Yes! But until then Shampoo can't find out! Please don't tell her, and especially not Cologne."

"I don't think it will work, it's impossible to keep secrets from Cologne, she sees right through people it seems."

Nodoka, interrupted at this point, "I will talk to this Cologne, there must be a way to settle this matter, if my son doesn't want to marry an Amazon he should not have to!"

"You will talk to Cologne, but what can you do? Who are you anyway?" asked Mousse.

"I am Ranma's mother Nodoka Saotome, I will reason with this Cologne, if she is as wise as people say she is she will understand."

With that, Nodoka grabbed Mousse and Ranma and dragged them out with her to the Nekohaten.

At the Nekohaten Colonge was very annoyed, Mousse had shirked his duties at the restaurant today, he would be getting no dinner. She wondered where he had gone off to, despite his poor vision, he didn't get lost like the lost boy Ryoga. She was surprised to see Ranma and Mousse come in a minute later with Ranma's mother. Shampoo, who had been waiting tables, leapt up and glomped Ranma, much to Mousse's consternation.

"Airen! You mother have you defeat Mousse and you come to marry Shampoo?"

"I can beat Mousse any day but I did not come to marry you Shampoo, my mom wants to speak with Cologne."

Mousse fumed at the way Ranma was getting so much attention from Shampoo, he wanted Shampoo to love him badly, he loved her with all his heart, and yet all she cared about was this stupid outsider.

"Shampoo, you leave son-in-law alone for now. Mousse you better have a good explanation for missing work otherwise, no dinner for you tonight. Hello mother of son in law, why do you wish to speak with me?"  
"I have come because I have been told that your granddaughter chasing after my son despite the fact he does not wish to marry her. I have come to find a solution to this whole mess."  
"Ranma will come around eventually I am sure, he will learn to love Shampoo after they get married."  
"I will not allow my son to be married of to someone who he does not wish to marry; my son does not wish to marry Shampoo. On top of that, this boy came to ask our help, he wants to marry your granddaughter, I don't know the whole story, but why is it so important to you that Ranma marry Shampoo."

Cologne glared menacingly at Mousse who quelled in terror, he was getting more punishment than no dinner tonight.

"Come in back with me, Mousse, you work the Nekohaten, I will speak to Ranma and his mother. Shampoo, you continue working as well, I think you would just get in the way for this conversation."

Shampoo looked upset but obeyed her grandmother dutifully, grandmother would get her Airen for her! Cologne sighed and led Ranma and Nodoka to her office. After closing the door she turned to Ranma.

"Why do you still refuse to marry Shampoo son in law, you would make a good husband and Shampoo would make a very good wife, much better than that Akane!"

Ranma looked hurt for a second and then replied, "I don't like Shampoo that way, she's a good person but I don't want to be some prize husband back in some village off in China. Shampoo may like me a lot but I don't think she likes me for the right reasons."

Cologne was shocked, Ranma rarely was this perceptive or articulated, he was right though, but it didn't matter, he would make a good husband for Shampoo and that was what was important.

"I will not give up, you and Shampoo would make me very strong great great-grandchildren, Shampoo will marry you one way or another."

"No she will not!" Nodoka glared at the ancient matriarch, "Ranma will not marry Shampoo unless he wants to and he doesn't so why don't you leave. Do you want to make enemies of me and my son?"

Cologne worried at this, Ranma was a VERY formidable enemy, he had slain the demigod Saffron, Cologne knew she still could probably beat Ranma, but it would be very close and it would cost her.

"I only want the best for my granddaughter, she needs a strong husband!"

"Isn't that boy out there strong? He loves her too, doesn't she deserve love?"

"Mousse is a we..." Cologne realized what she had been about to say, she didn't want to admit it but Mousse was no longer weak, not at all, in fact, he was nearly as strong as Ranma, Mousse didn't know it yet but Mousse was probably strong enough to defeat Shampoo now. He COULD make a good husband, but Shampoo didn't like him so that didn't matter. "Mousse does not have the love of my granddaughter, it is her choice, and she chooses Ranma."

"She doesn't truly love my son, if she did she would let him do what is best for him, she obviously has not learned respect for Mousse, why not give Mousse a chance to prove himself to her."

Cologne glared at Nodoka, she was getting in the way of very carefully laid plans. But she was also right, Cologne didn't want Shampoo to loose such a prize as Ranma, she had to stall. "All right, I will be reasonable, in one week Mousse will be given a chance to fight Shampoo for the right to marry her, if he loses, Ranma will have to go on a date with Shampoo, just a date, but I would not put it past my granddaughter to win Ranma's heart, if she looses, I will respect Ranma's wishes, Shampoo will not be forced to marry Mousse, that will still be her choice, but she has been away from the village too long, as have I she will either have to return then and there or she will be expelled by myself from the Amazons. The only way she would choose to stay behind is if she truly loves Ranma. If she does choose to stay behind Ranma must promise to date at least once with her. Mousse will have one week to train however he wishes, Shampoo will not be informed of the situation but I will train her, is this agreeable?"

"It is agreeable. I will see to it that Mousse wins."

Cologne left the office followed by the other two. She turned to Mousse, "You have one week free from your duties here, we will not feed you during this time so you will have to find your own food, Ranma and his mother will explain the situation to you. Shampoo is not to know until the end of the week." Mousse nodded and followed the two outside.

Shampoo was curious, "What happen great-grandmother, why stupid Mousse go for week? What you talk about with mother of Airen?"  
"Shampoo, I am closing the shop for a week, you are going to train with me in the mountains, once all these customers leave the shop closes."  
"Yes great-grandmother." Shampoo wondered why Ranma would have her be trained by great-grandmother. Was Shampoo not strong enough? Why Ranma explain to Mousse about Shampoo's special training? It no matter, great-grandmother was wise; she would have plan to make Airen marry Shampoo.

Mousse was worried, he had to defeat Shampoo, but if he did and she truly loved Ranma she would leave the village. But if he didn't she would go on a date with Ranma. Ranma would not get to date Shampoo if he had any say in the matter. But if Cologne was training Shampoo it meant that Mousse needed to train, and train very much if he wished to stand a chance. Ranma had to help him.

"Ranma, please you have to train me, you are the only one anywhere near as good as Cologne!"  
"Why don't you ask Happosai to train you, it would get him off our backs, and he is supposed to be pretty good."  
"The perverted gnome that molests girls?"

"Yeah, he trained my pops and Soun ya know."

"You're just trying to get rid of him, I will not involve myself with such a monster, Shampoo would never forgive me, and Cologne would probably kill me!"

"I you are always trying to kill me why should I help you?"  
"Because then you won't have to marry Shampoo!"  
"I won't have to marry her anyways, I just might have to go on a date with her, anyways, I might have to go on a date with her weather you win or lose, only IF you win and IF she doesn't decide to quit being an Amazon would I not have to go on a date wither her."

"How about a deal, I will train you in hidden weapons if you train me to defeat Shampoo."

"Why would I want to learn your stupid hidden weapons trick? Weapons are for weaklings!"

Mousse smiled and pulled a kettle out of nowhere as well as a small stove. Ranma gawked.

"I can use hidden weapons when transformed into a duck, but I can't pour the kettle properly, so this trick doesn't help me control my curse very well, but since your cursed form is human..."  
"When do we start?" interrupted Ranma, suddenly excited.

Konatsu watched as Ukyo burned yet another okonomiyaki, he had never seen Ukyo this distracted, she had been distracted since cooking the breakfast for the Saotomes and Tendos. "Ukyo-sama, would you like me to take over at the griddle for a little while? Why don't you go visit the Tendo Dojo."

Ukyo sighed, "I guess I have been kinda distracted. Sure, you can take over, I'll be back soon."  
"Don't worry I can hold the shop for today, I can tell you are excited."

"Bye Konatsu!"

"Bye Ukyo-sama!"

Konatsu sighed as he watched Ukyo leave, he loved Ukyo, but he was too scared to tell her that, and she loved Ranma anyway. Konatsu was a loyal shinobi, he would never forget how Ukyo saved him from evil his step mother and step sisters, he was like Cinderella and Ukyo was his prince charming, yeah, they both cross dressed. Well, Ukyo didn't so much anymore, but Konatsu was raised as a kunoichi, a female ninja, and didn't know life any other way. Konatsu was really lucky, he was one of only two shinobi in Nerima and the other shinobi, Sasuke, had horrible masters, the Kunos, and was often forced to carry Tatewaki around on a cart and be Tatewaki's stepping stool. Ukyo treated Konatsu with respect and paid him to work at her okonomiyaki shop, mostly he cleaned, shopped and was a waitress, but sometimes he cooked okonomiyaki himself, such as when Ukyo needed a break. Konatsu was needed and he did his duties to the best of his ability. "One beef okonomiyaki coming up!"

Ukyo found her way to the Tendo dojo slowly, meandering along dreamily not paying attention to where she was going, luckily, she knew the way well enough that her feet took her to where she was going on their own. When she got there she was surprised to see Mousse and Ranma fighting in the backyard. At first she was worried that Ranma had tried to pick Shampoo and that Mousse was trying to win her back, but then she noticed that Mousse was receiving instructions on his defense and attack from Ranma and that Mousse didn't seem angry in the slightest bit. Ranma was TEACHING Mousse!

"Ranchan!"

"Ucchan!"

Mouse hit a distracted Ranma with a tire he had thrown at Ranma before the distraction and Ranma was knocked right into the Koi Pond with a splash. Onna-Ranma shook her head refocusing after the shock and saw a duck struggling to get out of Mousse's clothes. "I guess we should take a break for a bit Mousse. Hey Ucchan whats up?"

"Why are you training Mousse?"

Ranma closed her eyes for a few seconds and then snaped out her hands. A thermous appeared in her previously empty hands. She jumped out of the pond and toweled herself off before pouring the hot water on herself, becoming himself again. "Hidden weapons trick turns out to be rather useful. Even for a non-weapons user, this was an exchange, I train Mousse, he teaches me hidden weapons. Right now I can store a small thermos with concentration, soon I might be able to store a kettle and a stove!"

Ranma grinned at Ukyo, "Still what brings you over to the dojo?"  
"Do I need a reason to come visit you Ranchan?"  
"What about Ucchan's?"  
"Konatsu took over for a while."  
"Ah, that's cool!" Ranma poured some hot water on the duck, which turned back into Mousse who quickly readjusted his clothes. "You wanna train with us?"  
"I would love to Ranchan!"

Ukyo jumped over the wall and joined the boys in the backyard of the Tendo's, she drew her battle spatula and the three began a three way sparring session, with Ranma instructing. Ukyo had a large advantage on the defense against Mousse due to her expertise at using her giant spatula as a shield, Mousse was stronger and faster than Ukyo though but Ranma totally outclassed the both of them, rarely getting hit unless they tag teamed him. He poked at their defenses occasionally as Akane watched from the porch.

How come he never actually attacked ME, Akane thought, probably he doesn't think of Ukyo as a girl. Then Akane watched closer and saw that Ukyo was also getting 'tapped' like she used to by Ranma, and that Ranma was only doing real attacks against Mousse. Akane sighed, Ranma was hopeless. Mousse was having allot of trouble, he was pretty poor on the defensive since he couldn't see his opponents attacks, his strategy relied on hitting first and fighting a single opponent. Two opponents was quite a challenge. Ranma just danced around blows from both fighters, it was like they were moving through molasses and Ranma was weightless in the air like a bird of some sort. The Anything Goes was an extremely powerful aerial martial art whereas Ukyo and Mousse were better with some kind of source of stability to counteract the recoil from throwing their weapons. Ukyo's weapons were also of much higher quality than Mousses odds and ends and lengths of chain, which were beginning to get short and ragged. Ranma had a few scrapes and bruises that were barely there, but Mousse and Ukyo were haggard and covered with small bruises and cuts. Finally Ranma called a time out so the others could rest.

"So Akane, what did you think of my first teaching?"

"To be honest, you should have attacked Ukyo more, you did the same thing you always do with me where you just run around and tap her, the only reason her defense is as good as it is cause she has a primarily defensive art and has prior training. Mousse also doesn't seem to be catching on at all, he may learn endurance but he will need more than that to beat Shampoo by the end of the week."

Ukyo blinked, so Ranma was helping Mousse train so that he could defeat Shampoo and win her heart. Ranma was so wonderfull! But Akane was right, even Ukyo had noticed that Mousse wasn't really changing his strategy despite taking the biggest beating. Ukyo had a feeling she knew why. "Hey Mousse, catch!" She threw a spatula to his side and he motioned in front of him to catch it.

"Oops..."

"Your vision that bad sugar?"

"Well, it's always been this way, I am used to it."  
"Why do you even wear glasses, they don't seem to do much, maybe you should learn some sort of blind fighting style?"

"I can't train in a new style in one week!"

"Well, how long has it been since you got a new pair of glasses?"

"Hmm... 8 years I think."  
"WHAT? Sugar, you are supposed to get your eyes checked every year, you might need stronger glasses!"

"I can't afford them."

Mousse looked upset. But Nabiki had overheard, "Don't worry Mousse, I will buy you new glasses and you can pay me back, I have already taken bets on your fight with Shampoo and enough people think she will win that you winning will pay for your glasses and the eye check up, but if you loose, you will owe me big time, glasses and doctors are expensive!"

Mousse eyed Akane, he meant to eye Nabiki but couldn't see well enough to tell the difference. "If you think it's a good idea Nabiki." he turned up to Nabiki and then to the rest, "What do you think, do I have a chance, I don't think I can easily pay back Nabiki..."  
Nabiki did an imitation of Akane's voice "I think it would be a great idea Mousse I am sure you will win!" Akane rolled her eyes, it was Nabiki taking the risk here. Ranma and Ukyo voiced their agreement.

"Then it's settled, Mousse well take you to an optometrist in Tokyo right now! You can afford bus fare can't you?"

Mousse nodded. The five of them set off for the bus stop. Well, actually it was six, Akane was carrying her pet pig, she didn't want him to get lost while she was gone. Ranma grabbed Ryoga's backpack which was outside by the dojo, he planned to turn Ryoga back the first chance he got and that chance might come while they were on their way to get Mousse's eyes checked. P-chan should be thanking him for carrying the heavy backpack. "Ryoga seems to have left his pack here and gotten lost. I'll carry it with us in case we find him. And uhh, I'll leave a note in case he comes back." Ranma scribbled on a piece of paper and dropped it on the ground where the pack had been.

Dr. Sidfield had only one appointment today, someone was heading over from the Nerima district with some friends, and Dr. Sidfield was being paid extra for doing a checkup on a Saturday. Apparently the patient was Chinese and hadn't gotten his eyes checked in 8 years, and had horrible vision. The doctor hoped this patient, Mu Tsu, didn't have a condition which meant that glasses weren't enough; he hated to tell people they were going blind. Dr. Sidfield had moved to Japan only recently himself and hadn't been treated very nicely by the patients who thought he couldn't understand Japanese very well and insulted him to each other because he looked nerdy. He loved making patients try on the nerdiest glasses he could find if they made fun of him so that their friends would make fun of them.

Mu Tsu and his friends, as well as the one who had called in the appointment Nabiki Tendo, arrived. Nabiki must be such a nice girl, she had paid for her friend's checkup and for him to get his glasses crafted that very day, very few offices could do such a thing but Dr. Sidfield's could, apparently he had to make goggles with an elastic strap matching certain specifications hold the lenses.

"All right, you must be Mu Tsu! Come right over here and sit down."

"Hey, he pronounced my name right!" Mousse was ecstatic, nobody in Nerima pronounced his name right and while they were there even Shampoo and Cologne called him Mousse. Mousse sat down on a small statue and was redirected to the chair. The doctor pointed at a chart on a wall. "Can you read anything on that chart?"

"What chart?"

"Try taking your glasses off."

"I still don't see a chart." Mousse frowned and squinted towards where the doctor had pointed his head, everything was a blur.

"All right I want you to look straight ahead, you have to keep your head still and your eyes open, rest your chin right here, that's it. You are going to feel a puff but you have to keep your eyes open. Wait for it, there... okay, good news, you not going blind!"

"BLIND!"

"You are NOT going blind, you seem to have really poor vision though. You are both farsighted and nearsighted so I will have to get you graduating lenses. Now say still, this device has lots of lenses in it, I adjust them and you tell me whether it's clearer with one... or two."  
"Two"

"One... or two."

15 minutes later Mousse's prescription had been figured out for both close up and far away, Dr. Sidfield set to work on the lenses after Nabiki had picked out a pair of goggles. Nabiki whispered to Mousse, "These should stay on when you are a duck, they are made out of similar stuff to Ryoga's headbands so they fit on... small and large heads... and they should be pretty durable, just make sure to keep them clean."  
"Yes Nabiki, thank you!" Mousse hugged Ranma. Ranma pushed him towards Nabiki who pushed him towards another statue. What was with the statues? They were all wearing glasses so they looked pretty funny, that was for certain, and they were obviously replicas as they were un-detailed and made out of fiberglass.

An hour later Dr. Sidfield placed the glasses on Mousse. Mousse blinked as his eyes adjusted. "I CAN SEE! ICANSEEICANSEE!" Mousse leapt around, "Your a statue your not Nabiki!" Mousse went around hugging everyone calling them by name, the correct name. He bowed and thanked Dr. Sidfield and led everyone back to the bus stop, reading out loud every sign on the way with great pride in his voice.

A job well done, Dr. Sidfield smiled at having gifted one more person with the gift of returned sight. He wondered why the Chinese boy needed goggles, they certainly looked odd.

Back at the Tendo Dojo Mousse had won a sparring match against Ukyo, then Genma, Akane, Soun, and Ryoga. Mousse was extatic. He had still lost to Ranma but it had been a close match. He set to work that night repairing his chains, able for the first time to see every single link in them.

Ryoga left after having dinner with the Tendo's explaining that he had to return to Akari, he had been lost for nearly a week now. Akane told him that if he or Akari saw P-chan to tell her, as P-chan had disappeared on their way back to the Tendo home. Ryoga said if he saw P-chan he would make sure it was well fed but said that he didn't think he could lead it back to the Tendo's without loosing it. Yeah...

Ukyo spent as much time as she could talking to Ranma, apparently he had heard after her about the way Akane felt and it had hurt but that he was tough and would get over it. He looked ready to cry though. Akane still felt really guilty and still seemed jealous when Ukyo got too close to Ranma. "If this makes you jealous I am sure this will fix the problem right up." Ukyo dumped a glass of water on Ranma.

"Hey, what was that for?" squeaked Onna-Ranma who hadn't been paying attention. Ukyo hugged her tight and Ranma blushed.

Akane screamed, "That's worse, it makes me sick, I'm just gonna go upstairs you to lovebirds can do whatever you want."

Ranma looked around nervously, Kasumi was smiling and exclaiming how cute the were, Nabiki was ignoring them reading her stocks, Nodoka was nodding in approval, Genma and Soun weren't paying any attention and were working hard at cheating through their game of go. Mousse was going around to every picture on the walls and naming the people in them and reading all the wringing all over the room out loud, he had already gone upstairs and read the nameplates on all the rooms several times. He saw Ranma and Ukyo and said, "And Ukyo is hugging a girl form Ranma... I think I will look somewhere else now..."

"Uhh, Uccan, you're embarrassing me."

"I'm sorry Ranchan, I have never gotten to hug you before without Akane trying to hit you or Shampoo butting in. Don't you like it?"

"Err, I guess I do, but half the room was staring at us, and uhh, can I turn back into a guy now?"  
"Okay!" Ukyo poured hot water on Ranma and grinned as she saw her change to a him again. "I never get tired of that!"

Ranma rolled his eyes as he tried to dry out his shirt. It was getting late. "Ucchan you should probably get back, I bet Konatsu is getting worried about you."  
"I guess you are right Ranchan. Come over early tomorrow and I'll make you another nice breakfast okay Ranchan?"  
"Sure thing Ucchan." Ranma smiled and waved as Ukyo waved back and left.

"Oh they make such a cute couple!" sighed Kasumi, "I can't wait till the marriage!"  
"I can, I don't want to rush things this time, anyway, not all of the wedding crashers from last time have been dealt with yet, Mousse still has to beat Shampoo and the Kunos are still after one form of mine each, on top of that Happosai is bound to do something stupid and the kami knows who else might show up trying to kill or marry me." Ranma groaned, "Besides, I don't know Ukyo well enough yet to marry her, I mean we haven't even gone on a real date or anything."  
"Yes dear, that is very smart of you. You should go on a date with Ukyo right away, the next time she has time off from work." declared Nodoka.

Nabiki spoke up, "I don't think it's time to get rid of the Kunos just yet, we still need to have witnesses to establish 'Ranko's' identity, and the Kunos are the most adamant believers that 'Ranko' is a different person. Tatewaki's prestige could help allot in cutting a few corners in the adoption of 'Ranko'. I have all the paperwork and have a meeting with a judge tomorrow to finalize it, but we need an 'impartial whiteness' to establish that Ranko isn't some illegal immigrant and was actually born in Japan when we make her identification legal."

"NOT HIM!" moaned Ranma, "And I bet I have to go as a girl too..."

"Sorry Ranma-kun, it's gotta be that way, make sure you are back from Ucchan's by 10."


End file.
